ARSENAL needed an 86th-minute own-goal to snatch victory and move within four points of the Champions League places.

Just as the Gunners were running out of ideas, as Leicester held firm and many home fans had begun to filter out of the Emirates Stadium, Nacho Monreal hit a shot that looked to be going wide, before deflecting off Leicester’s Robert Huth and into the net.

Coming after the weekend’s FA Cup win over Man City, an upbeat Arsene Wenger reflected on a successful few days.

Then it was Kasper Schmeichel’s turn to save well, this time from a Theo Walcott snapshot. And as the clock ticked into first-half injury time, Alexis Sanchez let rip with a long-range shot that scorched the crossbar.

One of them, Olivier Giroud went down clutching his back as Yohan Benalouane looked to have deliberately kicked the Frenchman as they both went for the same ball.

“It was dark arts, and it was close to a red card,” argued Wenger.

After Monreal’s late strike, and bouyed by their gift of a goal, the Gunners thought they had scored again, with a Mesut Ozil header, but the German was flagged offside.

There was drama off sorts in injury time, as Christian Fuchs went to take a throw in. With Alexis Sanchez not retreating, Fuchs threw the ball at Sanchez, who clutched his face and collapsed in a heap. The Chilean was booked by referee Michael Jones.